The People’s Republic of China

1. The People’s Republic of China 1.35 billion What is the population of China? What is the capital city of China? Who is the current President of China? Beijing Xi Jinping

2. Communism in China

3. We are learning to… • Describe how Communism took hold in China • ExplainMao’s Cultural Revolution

4. Did I… • Accurately describe the Communist revolution in China. • Identify the impact of the Cultural Revolution

5. TASK ONE Create a MIND MAP in your jotter. Take notes on the rise of Communism in China and the policies of Chairman Mao. These notes will help you to answer questions later on, so be as detailed as possible!

6. Communism in China For thousands of years China was ruled by royal dynasties – the head of which was known as the Emperor. In 1911, the Chinese people overthrew the Emperor Puyi to gain control of their country. HOWEVER, despite democratic elections being held, the next 30 years were politically unstable and civil war broke out.

7. By 1949, the Communists had defeated their enemies – the Revolutionaries – in the civil war. In 1949, the powerful Communist Party of China (CPC) set up a new government, lead by Chairman Mao. Mao was passionate about creating a new Socialist state, known as the People’s Republic of China. He said that the workers would be the most important people in the new China, and that they would form the backbone of the new nation. He wanted to turn China into an industrial powerhouse by following a system of centralized planning. All agricultural production was controlled and planned centrally by the Chinese government as part of a five-year plan. A lot of these industrial reforms came under the heading of ‘The Great Leap Forward’

8. Communism in China Mao’s Communist revolution wasn’t just about industry though – he wanted to completely change how Chinese people thought. His solution was ‘The Cultural Revolution’ – Mao empowered young students, getting them to ‘tear down tradition’, by denouncing their teachers, professors and even parents as supporters of the old regimes. Anyone seen as not Communist enough was publicly humiliated and often killed. Mao’s victory was absolute, and Communism ruled supreme.

9. Communism in China The Communist Party of China remain the ruling political party in China today and still maintain a great degree of control over citizens lives in many ways. Mao and the Revolution Watch the video and add extra information to your mind map. 90 years of Communism in China Taking part in the Cultural Revolution

10. Use the information from the video, your own notes and Worksheet Three to answer the following questions in full sentences. • Who ruled China before 1911? • What happened to these rulers? • How did the Communists come to power? • What did Chairman Mao promise would exist between the people of China? • What was ‘The Great Leap Forward’? • What was ‘The Cultural Revolution’? • Was Chairman Mao a successful leader? Give at least two reasons for your answer. • Describe the actions carried out by the Red Guards. • Explain the impact of the Cultural Revolution on the people of China? • Why do you think that China no longer follows ALL of the Communist ideas of Chairman Mao?

11. LETTER WRITING TASK Write a letter to a friend explaining why you have joined the Red Guards. You must mention: • What you think about communism • What you think about Chairman Mao • The ideals you believe in • What will happen to people who are anti-communist.

12. On your post-it note write down ANY THREE points you understand about how communism took hold in China.

13. We are learning to… • Describe how Communism took hold in China • Explain why Mao Zedong was revered as a “God” by the Chinese people.

14. I can… • Accurately describe the Communist revolution in China.